Thin Ice ✔️

chapter fifty eight: thin ice

A few days have passed and still, that eerie feeling hasn't gone away. I don't know what it is but things haven't felt normal.

Like there's just something looming in the future. It's really set me on edge.

Maybe I'm just crazy.

I'm probably just insane.

It was another late night, my job very busy again. Even though the holidays have passed, there are still a lot of people who come around.

I hopped out of the shower and threw on my pajamas before I heard a knock at the door. And many of them. Whoever was there could've broken it down if I didn't open it.

When I looked who was outside my heart broke.

It was Addie. And she was crying.

"Dani..."

"Oh my god." I open the door and back up so she can come in. "What's wrong?"

I shut the door and turned around to find her just standing there with her face in her hands. I walk up and pull her into a hug.

What the hell happened?

"Addie–"

"He's dying." she cried out.

My heart was racing as the words spilled out of her mouth. I couldn't really comprehend it at first.

"What?" I gasped.

"My dad...he's–dying." she choked out.

Oh my god.

Without another word I squeeze her tighter and she does as well in response. I couldn't believe it.

"So that's why you haven't been around lately." I sighed, connecting the dots. "I'm so sorry."

She nods and I sit her down on the couch. We stayed in silence for a few minutes, the only noise was her constant sniffling.

If I wasn't trying to comfort her so hard I would probably be bawling my eyes out as well.

"And there's nothing I can do about it. You know, I thought–" She takes in a sharp breath. "He always tells me he's feeling better and for the shortest moment, I believe him."

Her body started to shudder less and less but her voice was still trembling.

"And it's for that split second that I feel at peace and think, he's going to get through this. But it only lasts so long until I realize it's just stupid hope." she sobs.

My heart shatters at her words. "Hey, hope isn't stupid. Like you said, you're at peace when you think about him getting better."

"I know, but then I come back to reality and realize it's too late. The cancer–it's terminal and I know he's not going to make it." she pulls away and wipes her eyes.

"Addie...you can't think like that."

"Easier said than done." her voice starts to crack. "I've tried and I've tried Dani. The doctor said he had a month left last time we saw him."

I thought about it, a month? God only knows how heartbreaking that was to hear.

"That was two weeks ago...so now I'm really struggling with what's going on and–"

She couldn't say anything else before she started crying again. That was the cycle for the next couple of hours.

She would continue to explain and I would try my best to comfort her, but I didn't know how much I could say.